Milk sediment tester



E. J. WENDLER MILK SEDIMENT TESTER April 23, 1940.

Filed Deo. 23, 193.9

WIA I l NI II w Aff/9 XW Patented Apr. 23, 1940 'UNITED s'rATEs alargar orifice MILK SEDIMENT Tas'raa Elmer J. Wendler, Southgate, Calif. t l, Application Deeember 2s, 1938,l serial No. 247,4@

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for testing milk to ascertain the amount of sediment con tained therein and has for-'its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive device that may be conveniently manipulated for `ascertaining the amount of sediment contained in milk and, which device is partcularly designed for use on milk as it is delivered by the milk producer to the dairy or establishment where the milk is acted upon and placed in containers for delivery to the markets and users.

The milk sediment testing device contemplated by my invention is of the type utilizing a wafer or thin disc of brous material upon whichthe sediment that is frequently found in milk, is deposited during the operation of the device and, one of the principal objects of my invention is to provide simple means for holding this porous wafer or disc in proper position in the device and to permit said disc or wafer to function as a buttery valve when the device is operated to draw milk into the 'chamber above said disc or wafer.

Practically all states have laws and likewise practically al1 cities have ordinances that are especially directed to the increasing of the purity and food'value of milkdelivered to consumers and it is `one of the objects of my invention, to"

provide a milk sediment testing device that will be highlyeffective and helpful in the treatment of milk to meet the laws and ordinances relating` thereto.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a milk test' ing device constructed in accordance with my invention and with the upper portion thereof shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the lower portion of the testing device and showing the porous wafer positioned therein.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the porous wafer that is used in the testing device.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates: a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates a tube, preftube `having a capacity fora pre-determined amount ofV milk, for instancera pint or a quart.

The upper en d of this tube is externally threaded for the reception of a screw cap II and formed in the center of said cap is an aperture I2 for the accommodation o f a piston rodv I3 and. the latter provided on its upper 7end witha vknob or handle I4.

The end of rod yI3 within the tube Ill carries a piston I5, preferably of rubber, and which in operation draws milk into the tube and expels it therefrom.

Formed integral with or fixed to the lower end of tube I0 is a tubular head I6, the internal diama eter of which is the same as the internal diameter of tube AIII and, formed in the lower end of the wall of this head is an annular groove I1 that receives a packing ring I 8, preferably of rubber.

Formed on the lower end of head I6 and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom are parallel ears I9 in which are seated the ends of a hinge pin 20.

Positioned directly below head I6 isa short tubular spout 2|, the internal diameter of which is practically the same as thek internal diameter of head IS and tube I9 and, formed on the upper end of the wall of said spout ZI is. an inverted U-shaped hook 22 that engages over hinge pin 2! between the ears I9.

Thus the spout 2! is hinged to the lower end of head I6 so that said spout may swing outwardly and thence upwardly to enable the iiltering wafer or disc to be inserted in or removed from the device.

Further, this form of hinge enables spout 2| when swung outwardly and upwardly into a position parallel with head I6 to be removed from the latter, thusfacilitating cleansing and sterilizing of thedevice and also facilitating `assembly of the parts.

Hinged to the exterior of spout 2| at apoint approximately midway betweenitsupper and lower ends, is the lower end of an arm 23 of resilient metal, the upper end of which is formed into a hook 24. The end of this hook is bent to form a small loop 2li and thelatter is adapted thereinis a ring 28 formed of thin sheet metal,

channel-shape in cross section so as to receive the edge of a perforated disc 29.

, to engage on top of a lug 26 that is formed on When the spout 2I is closed against the lower end of head I6, the upper face of the ring 28 fits snugly against the under face of the packing ring I8, thus providing a practically fluid pressure tight joint between the parts.

Pivotally mounted on the upper flange of ring 28 adjacent the inner edge thereof, is the outer end of a finger 3l), preferably formed of resilient wire, and which extends from its point of pivotal connection to said ring, upwardly, thence inwardly and downwardly to a point just above the center of the perforated disc 29, and the inner portion of this finger is bent to form an upstanding loop 3l. f

This resilient finger which may be swung from one side to the other is adapted to rest on the central portion of a porous disc or wafer 32 which overlies the perforated disc' 2!!v and is encompassed by the upper ange of the ring 28. This disc or wafer 32, which is flexible to a certain degreeis formed from suitable fibrousmaterial, for instance, cotton fibers, and the porosity is such that it will permit milk under pressure -to pass through it and at the same time to filter therefrom and prevent the passage of sediment contained in said milk.

When properly positioned on the perforated disc 29, the wafer is retained in such position by the looped endof the resilient finger 3G as illustrated in- Figs. 2 and. 3.

Formed integral with the inner edge of the ring 28 that carries the perforated disc 29, isa depending flange 33v of resilient metalv and, formed in said flange is a series of vertically disposed slots 3ft-open at their lower ends.`

Thus, the material in the flange between the slotsA function as resilient walls that yieldingly engage the inner surface of the opening through y spout 2I, thus tending to retain the perforated disc carrying ring 28 in the annular recess 2'I in the upper end of spout 2 I.

To insert the filtering disc in the device, hook 24 is disengaged from lug 2G, thus permitting spout 2l to be swung downwardly and outwardly, thereby enabling the filtering disc to be positioned on the perforated disc 29 and the finger 30 is now swung around until the looped end thereof engages on the center of the disc. Thespout 2| is now swung back into position beneath head I6 and retained in such position by the engagement of the loop 25 on th-e endof hook 24, against the upper end of lug 26.

The lower end of the device is now inserted in the body of milk to be tested and the piston rod I3' and piston I 5 carried by the lower end thereof are drawn upwardly through tubeA ll and, by suction milk will be drawn upwardly through spout 2i, thence through the perforations of disc 29, andi the pressure of' the milk againstV the disc 32 will cause opposite side portions thereof tofswing upwardly as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 4,

thus permitting the ready passage of milk into the tube I0 below the upwardly moving piston.

During this operation the porous disc is retainedin position by the resilient finger 30.

To complete the test, the piston and piston rod are moved downwardly, thereby exerting pressure on the milk in the device above the porous disc 32 and this pressure causes the said disc to return to its flat position upon the perforated disc 2S and, as the pressure on the milk continues said milk will be forced through the porous disc and the perforated discwith the result that sediment contained in the milk will lodge on the upper surface of the porous disc.

Spout 2 IA is' now released and swung downwardly and outwardly from the lower end of head I6 to permit the removal of the porous disc or wafer and the latter carrying the sediment extracted from the milk, is used by conventional testing methods for determining the amount of sediment contained in apredetermined quantity of milk.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a milk sediment testing device that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective in performing the functions, for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes inthesize, form and construction of the various parts of my improved milk sediment tester, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the-'spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.`

I claim as my invention:

l. In a milk sediment testing device, a tube, a piston and piston rod arranged for operationin said tube for drawing milk into said tube and expelling said milk therefrom, a tubular spout hinged tothe lower end of said tube, means for retaining said tubular spout in closed positionv upon the endof the tube, aring removably seated' in the upper end of said spout, which ring is channel-shape in cross-section, a perforated disc carried by said ring, with its marginal'edge positioned between the flanges of said channelw shaped ring, a porous wafer removably positioned on top of said perforatedy disc within the upper one of the flanges of s-aidring and a resilient nger pivotally connected at one endv4 to the upper one of they flanges of the ring that holds saidp'erfora-ted disc for retaining said position on said perforated disc.

2. A milk sediment testing deviceasV set forth in claim 1, with a fis-urgel of resilient material dcpendingfrom the inner edge of the lower one of the flanges of said ring and which depending ange is slotted and adapted to enter the upper end of said spout for retaining the' ring therein when the spout is open.

' ELMER J. W'EN-DLER.

porous Wafer in 

